European Union offers Trump ‘zero-for-zero’ tariffs on industrial goods

: World Tribune; 07 April 2025; Hits: 6

by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News April 7, 2025

In an effort to avoid a trade war, the European Union said it is prepared to offer a “good deal” to the master of “the art of the deal.”

In response to President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday: “We stand ready to negotiate with the U.S. We have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods as we have successfully done with many other trading partners. Because Europe is always ready for a good deal. So we keep it on the table.”

The EU president did not address Trump’s concerns on restrictions on American food imports or EU tariffs against U.S. made automobiles, which currently stand at around four times the rate European cars are taxed when sent to the United States.

Von der Leyen also warned that the EU is “prepared to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests if the trade dispute continues.”

The EU chief said that Brussels will take a two-pronged approach towards the Trump tariffs, firstly by reducing internal barriers within the bloc — as opposed to reducing further barriers with the U.S. — and of “diversifying” Europe’s trading partners.

“This is why we are deepening our relations with our trading partners: You know the deals we have done with Mercosur, Mexico, Switzerland, and we are working with India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and many others. With that, we want to be very clear: Europe stands together for our businesses and with our businesses for all Europeans in the European Union and beyond,” she said.

Trump has held firm on his commitment to rebalancing global trade back to the favour of the United States, writing on Truth Social on Sunday evening: “We have massive Financial Deficits with China, the European Union, and many others. The only way this problem can be cured is with TARIFFS, which are now bringing Tens of Billions of Dollars into the U.S.A. They are already in effect, and a beautiful thing to behold.

“The Surplus with these Countries has grown during the ‘Presidency’ of Sleepy Joe Biden. We are going to reverse it, and reverse it QUICKLY. Some day people will realize that Tariffs, for the United States of America, are a very beautiful thing!”